The Geoscience & Society Summit was scheduled to be held in Bermuda in September, however the organisers said as a result of the Domestic Partnerships Act, “Bermuda no longer meets AGU’s meeting location requirements” and they “are evaluating the options for relocating.”

A statement on the organisation’s website under the title ‘Location Change’ said: “An issue has arisen with the location for the Geoscience & Society Summit slated for 23-28 September in Hamilton, Bermuda.

“Less than a year after legalizing same-sex marriage, Bermuda has reversed course and is implementing a law that prohibits same-sex couples from marrying.

“As a result of this change, Bermuda no longer meets AGU’s meeting location requirements, and we are evaluating the options for relocating. We will provide an update as soon as we have more information.”

The organisation posted the announcement on their Facebook page, where they have 150,000 fans, with the post attracting three comments.

“I would be interested to know what all of these requirements are,” said one person, while another said, “But, does this also mean that the USA doesn’t meet the AGU meeting requirements? As far as I know gay marrage was only legal for a month in Alabama in 2015… confused??”

The third comment said, “As I understand it, the US also still has the death penalty, does this meet requirements? Also confused.”

The tweet received two comments, one saying, “Way to stand up for human rights” and another saying “YOU ROCK !!!!! oxoxoxoxo.”

We asked the BTA for comment, and Glenn Jones, Director of Public & Stakeholder Relations, said, “The Bermuda Tourism Authority has requested partners report cancellations when the reason for cancelling is known for tracking and aggregation purposes. Our team is also collecting consumer feedback received directly from travellers. Questions about any specific groups or events should be directed to the organisers or their local hosts.”

According to the organisation’s promotional material the conference was scheduled to be held at the Fairmont Southampton, and the company explained to Bernews that they do not generally comment on their guests and provided this statement from its parent company, “AccorHotels operates in more than 95 countries.

“While we always conduct our business within local laws, we do not always share the philosophies behind them. Instead, we focus on ensuring that at our hotels, everything we do is governed by our shared values of respect, integrity, team work, excellence and accountability.

“We are proud of our differences and fight against all forms of discrimination, whether on the ground of ethnic, social, cultural, gender, age, or sexual orientation. Harassment and discrimination towards our colleagues and guests is not tolerated, regardless of location.”

While Bermuda offers a legally recognized structure for same sex couples in the form of domestic partnerships, which the majority of nations worldwide do not, the fact the island had same sex marriage and then replaced it with the partnerships has been criticized for being regressive in nature, and the island has received extensive international media coverage for being the “first country to repeal same sex marriage.”

On a related note, as we previously reported lawyer Jamison Firestone and his husband cancelled their Cunard cruise in protest over the legislation.

It does not appear the cruise was actually coming to the island, however cruise lines registered in Bermuda — Princess Cruises, Cunard, and P&O — also adhere to Bermuda law, and Mr Firestone said he does “not feel comfortable taking a cruise on a ship registered in a jurisdiction that does not accept my marriage.”

Buzzfeed reported that Mr Firestone has begun discussions with a range of lawyers, business leaders, and advocates for the LGBT community to “oppose Cunard’s stance and to try in turn to make clear to Bermuda that there are consequences to doing this in the 21st century”.

The US-based LGBTQ rights group OutRight Action International have said a “misguided reaction is unfolding”, and have called for people to not boycott Bermuda, saying the “campaign stands to hurt rather than help” and have called for people to “instead learn how to empower local organizations and the movement there.”

Mr Pettingill told Bernews that Roderick Ferguson, a Bermudian man living in the United States, filed this lawsuit because “the right to have a same-sex marriage has been taken away.”

The former Attorney-General maintained that as Bermuda created legislation that removes it, the Domestic Partnership Act is unconstitutional.

The Orginating Summons filed [PDF] is seeking an Order declaring that the “Domestic Partnership Act 2018, in so far as its effect is to reverse the decision in the case of Godwin & Deroche v The Registrar General, the Attorney General et al [2017] SC (Bda) 36 Civ, notwithstanding provisions of the Human Rights Act 1981, is void.”

Is it really the Plp or the MAJORITY of Bermuda which is a democratic island does not want it here. I’m not lying about that at all. The Majority of Bermuda honestly does NOT want gay marriage in Bermuda. That’s seems to be a harsh pill to swallow for some of you ppl but you keep blaming the PLP like they can control what the MAJORITY of the island wants. In a democracy it is the will of the ppl who are supposed to create policy and if the MAJORITY of the ppl don’t want gay marriage on there island you simply have to respect that even if it’s not right. No one is preaching about harming homosexual to some degree thet are accepted but ultimately they are treated like human beings for that. Marriage is something that has been around for thousands of years and to just all of a sudden you want to change that social construct into what you want is not going to be that easy it takes time for ppl to accept. But just as the lgbt community does not like to be pressured by society in term the ppl should not have to feel pressured by your community to accept your lifestyle

You see right there is you trying to change the definition of what marriage is at its core. YES it’s truly about procreation. Coming together to build wealth and prosperity together and passing it along to the seeds of your procreation to continue on and on. Key words passing it along to the seeds of your procreation to CONTINUE on…

Let me get this straight. Marriage is “truly about procreation” as expressed by “Really?”

So, all marriages should have an expectation that they will result in procreation?

I know of two folks here in Bermuda who fell in love and married when they were in their late 70′s early 80′s. They married in a church ceremony. They were a widow and a widower who had previously lost their partners.

There was not a snowballs chance of them ever having children so procreation was absolutely out of the question.

I know of other couples who knew at the time of their marriage that there was no chance medically of them ever having babies – NONE. Using the words of “Really” – There was no chance whatever that the seeds of their procreation would “continue on and on”.

To suggest that procreation is at the very core of marriage is both false and absurd.

And even if I wasn’t, no. I don’t have anything better to do than fight for equality.

The question is, why are you so dead set against it, and why don’t you ever actually say anything other than personal attacks and why do you have so little courage that you hide under your hood while doing that? Well, questions, then.

As for supporters, I don’t have any. I’m just one guy, standing up for what’s right with integrity and honesty.

I have to wonder if this is a serious question. I guess there are some folks who would try to demand that we teach “creation science” (a complete misnomer) and prohibit the teaching of evolution. Seriously!

It doesn’t surprise me as despite the so called outrage by some Bermudians towards Trump (Trump supported Moore in his recent Senate run) totally contradicts the reality that they are more aligned with his ideology than President Obama.

Oh but they are demanding. They throw tantrums in hopes of generating pressure. They call goes out to all and everyone who will support the cause. Every person has equal rights under law…… it’s 2018.

But we see tantrums due to the fight for certain men and women seeking additional special rights…..above and beyond what all other have according to law.

When you see layers seeking to tweek laws to make a wrong…..right.

Special rights are soon upon us. If special rights are given to a section of the population in order to legally live a special life. Then special rights should also be given to all ….to live contrary to being special.

respect of what people you definitely don’t speak for me and you never will , no majority , no will of the people , just that those who opposed got a few more out . Bet if the SSM vote won by 1 vote youd be screaming that it was null an void. We should all bow our heads in shame we are a Sham turned back to 3rd world mentality. Sure it hasn’t hurt your pocket …YET …but its going to happen ….. I didn’t Vote them in

#FridayFact Reveals British Massive Cover Up of Reparations to Slave Masters

using money to persuade people into that life style. blacks have a handicap because have not seen any Reparations. i have many many news articles of prof of 1st world “people” going to 3rd world places to persuade those people into that lifestyle using MONEY.

many people know not the terrors of this world and that is just a fraction of what is going on

Can you provide any news sources for stories of people going to third world nations to convert people to homosexuals by paying them? You don’t have to try and post links, just the names of the sites/sources.

I read this. So a guy came down to Jamaica, had affairs with local men. And possibly, some people found out and did a sting operation of sorts to murder him for this. Seems more like prostitution with a grisly ending instead of some conspiracy to convert people, but people may interpret it differently. Will check the other item in a bit.

you blind yourself mate. one of my links did not pass review however you can go find the thousands of videos and secret recording of this so called “prostitution” as you say. You can also look for a vid on youtube of a Jamaican that entered into that life style at young so he could help feed his relatives. title”Jamaican Man Calls Police On His Own Daughter Because She Stole His Money & To Teach Her A Lesson”

would love to see you say something like that to the Native Americans.

you are most likely an physical learner. you need to be put through an example to understand. like a certain scrooge. there is a probability that you are sociopath because this is a key trait

me personally i would be happy the families who benefited being striped of all wealth that was derived from slavery. the gov should take all of the wealth. some thing like a proceeds of slavery act. i will be fine with this no matter how far detached they are they must forfeit it all.

Anbu, what is wrong with reparations to victims of crime or their descendants? Do we say “no free handouts” to rape victims? Or the families of people killed or injured through no fault of their own but by things like company negligence or vehicular manslaughter?

It should be the goal of society to right historical wrongs.

It took forever, but Australia finally took steps when it came to the indigenous population. The descendants of black slaves are a much more complex matter, but why dismiss the whole thing without a second glance?

What a bunch of spoiled brats. so you can’t force SSM on another culture so you cry and go home or threaten to damage and hurt the people of a country to which you don’t even belong? what type of elitist, colonial mentality is that? this is why you’ll never win most Bermudians over. this only encourages them to stand even more firm against persons determined to reshape or even destroy our culture.

this has nothing to do with rights, it has to do with a need to have everyone celebrate their sexual preference, free from guilt. look, I don’t believe anyone should treat you as less than equal to them. but this is not what is happening here as much as the LGBT community tries to cry foul over it. this is simply the case where the country has the right to determine it’s definition of what they want marriage to be for their culture. it is not blindly being unfairly applied, it’s being done with a recognition that the male-female relationship is to be celebrated as distinctly different and beneficial to all of society.

if people want to be in gay relationships, go for it. good on you. but it doesn’t bring the same benefits to all of society and so while we are not prohibiting those relationships, we are not promoting them by giving them marriage the same way that heterosexual relationships have it.

if it were really about ‘letting people love who they want to love’ then we would have to remove ALL boundaries and barriers which I’ve noticed they are not seeking to do. but they’ll keep using catchphrases and silliness like ‘love wins’ let people love who they want to. NOBODY IS STOPPING THEM! besides, under that logic, there is no reasonable way to deny anyone relationship- mother and son, brother and sister, etc from being married.

and before people express outrage at the analogy… I’m not saying that SS relationships are exactly the same as those. I’m saying that the justification used by them is the same that others could claim and you could give no reasonable argument against them. they’d have no moral ground on which to deny them. therefore this is a moral matter no matter how you view it. the LGBT community is just as much claiming ‘right’ to SSM on moral grounds as others are denying it on the same basis.

But on the flip side of lying it seems like the lgbt community love to put this fictional picture out there that Bermuda is going to suffer from tourism or anything else we do to try make money because of this. First off, no one is stopping gay ppl from being who you are. Bermudians are for the most part tolerable towards that believe it or not. Marriage is different and on this small island the MAJORITY are not ready for it. Secondly if that was true then why Jamaica’s tourism hasn’t declined in the dirt, in fact it’s up in higher numbers especially after decriminalzing marijuana nation wide. So I beg to ask, who is really lying or stating facts here?

Yes your sermon is all well and good, and we get you don’t think gay people should have the same rights as other human beings…however…BERMUDA is in the TOURISM business and if wants to stay in it it needs to not do stupid stuff like reverse course on legislated rights for gay people..it’s just asking for backlash. The govt that gave right to marry was voted in by a majority as well…don’t forget

No government gave rights for SS marriage. They could not do that without consulting the people who hired them. The change was made by a judge by a back door tactic. Trickery if you will. The PLP actually we’re the elected government to put special adjustments in place so there could be some dignity between partners of the SS.

You said it correctly. Indeed it was a trick by a judge no political party made it law because they knew the MAJORITY of the island including a lot of the OBA followers as well would not go for it. But democracy (the MAJORITY rule) doesn’t seem to matter to these ppl.

No it’s not by far it’s not. Has your entire community been kidnapped, chained, beaten, raped, forced to work for free, lynched, Jim Crowed, declined through laws preventing an entire race not to move ahead, gentrification and so so much more for being a certain color, NO! So when that happens to your community as a whole then come talk to we blacks. Until then keep us out of your so called fight. We are not apart of it and we are sick of you trying to use us and OUR struggle with your agenda. Just remember if ppl were being persecuted for death because of their orientation, race, creed, or culture you can hide being gay by going back in the closest, I can’t hide being black because it’s always visable.

That’s right! EVERY struggle as to be as bad as each other. Oppression is a contest and, unless yours is the worst, you aren’t allowed to complain or compare!

Ignore all the things that have happened to the LGBT community that are on the list “Really?” put up. Ignore the rapes and murders and ostracization and refusal of services, the years it was illegal to be gay, resulting in jail time, forced castration, beatings and death.

Black folks had it the worst (no one is denying that), so no one is allowed to compare their oppression.

I’m astonished that folks are not even blinking an eye at all the wonderful press and interest we received as a tourist destination post America’s Cup, which has now been flushed down the proverbial toilet.

Just came back from South Africa and on average there were three same sex couples to every 12 heterosexual couples. Noticed the same statistic in London and Florida. So roughly one quarter of the World’s travelers don’t meet Bermuda’s visitor requirements? Let’s hope the Bible Belt tourism can make up the difference.

Well clearly only rational organisations are deciding that Bermuda is not where they will spend their money.Good luck with your mentality.

Does this apply in your opinion to international business too?

Remember the government is afraid of the church in Bermuda and will do anything to keep its votes. The minute this changes the government will sell this island. Oh wait they have just done that on the 60:40 rule.

Why is it that nobody is up in arms over this rule change the same way SSM has garnered the reaction it has? You don’t need to fix something that was not previously broken. SSM was law. There are far more important issues Bermuda, the government, Preserve Marriage and all those full of hot air over SSM than the constant opposition to SSM. Really will Bermuda only realize that this was the wrong choice wen the cash begins to dry up?

I believe it’s called freedom of choice. It’s a fairly basic and easy philosophy. Bermuda chooses to prohibit SSM. The Geoscience & Society chooses not to hold their conference in the only country in the world where SSM was legal and then made illegal. It might also be called “the law of unintended consequences”!

‘Coffee’ makes the statement that the AGU is a proven “flat earth promoter’” Judging from their literature it would appear that this is the polar opposite of their aims and ideals. Their aims include:-

It engages members, shapes policy, and informs society about the excitement of Earth and space science and its role in developing solutions for the sustainability of the planet.

It aims to expand training, recognition and reward of AGU scientists for excellence in communicating science to nonscience audiences.

It aims to develop mechanisms to support interdisciplinary collaboration among members.

It aims to Increase awareness of the importance of Earth and space science issues for nonscience audiences.

It aims to increase effectiveness and recognition of AGU among decision makers as an authoritative source of integrated, interdisciplinary Earth and space science information.

It aims to increase awareness of the reality and consequences of global climate change among scientists and the public.

It aims to Increase the role of Earth sciences in informing policy and mitigating impacts of natural disasters.

It aims to raise awareness of natural resource limitations and increase the application of (AGU) Earth sciences in developing solutions for the sustainability of the planet.

I have to ask “Coffee” where on earth did he or she uncover even a scintilla of evidence to show that the AGU promotes the “flat earth” theory. I feel sure that all of our school students, especially those who are studying science will be fascinated to read “Coffee’s expose on the AGU.

I have a feeling that “Coffee” is just an American NOM plant, trying to sow hate in our country…

He never has anything to say He hides like a coward and runs away from any conversation where he is asked questions… He refuses to engage He makes things up just to lash out against people that disagree with him or prove him wrong…

You thought the Rosie O’Donnell Gay Family Cruise debacle of 2007 was embarrassing. This takes the biscuit and is part and parcel of the same syndrome: Unrelenting resistance to Equality and Inclusion.

They are upset because they arent intelligent mike. I know u dont stoop to the insult level so i will do it for u. Most bermudians will never change their views on this. I blame the reggae culture here. Funny how it promoted hatred of gays but almost every artist dresses in drag lmao. Cant make it up man. But the influence is huge. Smh. Sorry if ive offended you but sometimes u gotta hit back at these fools. Lol. Easy mate

Seriously. Nothing you say is correct. Do you really not see that, or do you really not care?

PM is a bunch of cowardly bullies who try to force their religious views on the rest of us, all the while lying about it not being about religion. I have heard their representatives say things like “this isn’t about religion, but god and the Bible say…”. That’s dishonest. And when called on it, they lie about that. They stood ground? That’s a lie. They moved goalposts at every turn, ignoring when people exposed their lies, spreading misinformation and lies. They have zero integrity.

Not once has anyone from Preserve Marriage ever offered an honest, real reason to deny people the right to marry. They’ve simply lied and lied and spread insanity, like your weak and bizarre “heterophobia” nonsense you’re trying now.

As for who I am to say what’s bad for Bermuda? I am a Bermudian. One who shows his face in the sunlight and doesnthide like a coward like you. THAT is who I am.

Who are you to question me? Hiding under your hood of hate…

As for our grandparents? What bearing does that have on anything? Are we to go back to how we treated people back in the 40s and 50s?

What on earth are you talking about? The referendum was a waste of time and money and the result is irrelevant.

I don’t care about the result. It was non-binding, anyway. It was a waste of time.

Your lashing out like a child again because someone is pointing out your nonsense and your arrogance and overwhelming desire to hurt people in order to make you feel better about yourself is making you even more irrational than usual.

Why not go off with your crayons and make up some new words that you can try to pretend are real. “Heterophobic” didn’t work, but maybe you can come up with something better.

Or, and this is just a thought, why not figure out a real, cogent, honest position, one based on facts, and put that up and stand by it?

Of, wait. Forgot who I was talking to. It’s all about yelling nonsense when you didn’t get your way, inna?

Let me get this straight about PM standing their ground! Preserve Marriage’s objectives were to oppose SSM and any kind of civil unions despite the fact that our Supreme Court had issued a legal judgement to the effect that denying same sex couples the right to a civil marriage was a breach of their rights under the Human Rights Act.

So where are we now? SS Bermudians and residents can simply purchase an airline ticket to the USA, Canada, the UK, and a host of other countries where they can legally marry, then immediately return to Bermuda and live their lives as a married couple in every sense of the word. They can now enter into a Domestic Partnership which entitles them to all the privileges of marriage. The only right they will continue to be denied is not to actually marry on Island – a right that heterosexuals will unequally continue to enjoy.

The end result is that Preserve Marriage has failed in both their objectives.

Now Government is facing a legal action with the potential of having to pay thousands of dollars in legal costs, and to what avail?

This is a hollow victory at best for PM and may also prove to be an expensive waste of taxpayers dollars at worst.

And all because same sex couples were seeking the basic human right to make a lifelong commitment to the person they love.

You got that right Mike. Preach. How dare they call me heterphobic. I have done the right thing with my biological family members by welcoming their different sex partners with open arms, and by attending their overseas destination weddings. As a member of the LGBTQ community, I expect the same consideration in return.